The Jamaica of Brasil!

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A beautiful island with over 40 beaches, friendly people, dangerous drivers and a very relaxed attitude… They really don’t get the concept of being in a rush, there are huge surfer and hippy influences, and everyone is either stoned, drunk on beer, or both about 90% of the time…
My first impressions of this place was how influenced it is by Europe - loads of German and Italian immigrants came here back in the day, and really kept their ways - meaning loads of ice-cream, cakes, pizza, and the biggest Oktoberfest outside of Berlin! There’s also a big North American influence here which can be seen from the massive malls… Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like I’m in South America, but then you go to a samba club or a churrascuria and it brings you right back to Brasil!

There is a strange mix of just about everything here… At first it seems very modern and quite built up in the city… then you see a horse-drawn garbage cart trundling down the street. The poor things look so malnourished and skeletal - I wonder why, with such a good recycling system, they don’t advance this particular aspect.
There’s also a strange mix of style… One the one hand they are obsessed with beauty, the faker the better - plastic surgery is huge; it is quite cheap and apparently good. There are loads magazines with names such as “Plastica e Beleza” (Plastic and Beauty)! When you go to the beach all the women actually do wonder around in tiny thongs, one part of the Brazilian culture I will not be adopting I think!
On the other hand, the vast majority have a fashion sense that we left behind in 1997 with the Spice Girls for a reason… The women favour huge wedges and too-tight trousers (a lot of times spandex - camel toes are often involved) and belly tops. If one is not wearing platforms, they will most likely be wearing the type of trainers you used to wear in sports in school.

When I first came the university was on strike, which apparently isn’t anything unusual. What I thought was cool was how properly they do it - banners and signs everywhere, camp outs, locking themselves in the lecture theatre… it’s awesome!
Now the strikes over and things are back to normal (whatever that is!) I’m taking Spanish and “creativity” - a type of art class, which is really interesting and confusing at the same time! My Spanish teacher a legend and even did his PhD at Birmingham Uni - he was very excited when I told him that that’s where I study! He has just asked me to help set up the university’s online dictionary so it can be trilingual with English as well, which is quite cool! (I know I’m a geek!)
I managed to find a local volunteering group here, but unfortunately they don’t have enough funding so it’s not running at the moment. But I’m going to meet with them anyway and hopefully we can get something set up.
I'm living in a cute little apartment with two brasilian girls, one studies at the uni and one teaches english in a little school. They're both really lovely and are awesome at taking me out, showing me around, introducing me to people and helping with my portuguese! I live about 20 mins walk from uni which is good, and buses are cheap and available for pretty much anywhere on the island.
I've also managed to find two bead shops! They’re not as good as England and Canada but still alright and cheaper! So I’ve been busy making stuff, trouble is now I have loads of jewellery that I don’t know what to do with!

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